EGM: Mystery Zelda Art

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Plus, Tingle is dead. Get the full scoop inside.

By Matt Casamassina

The latest issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly features an exclusive look at Nintendo's hotly anticipated new Legend of Zelda game. The good folks at EGM traveled to Japan and met with Zelda co-producer Eiji Aonuma, who let them play some portions from the game and talked about the development process. The magazine has revealing pictures and some new details about the project, both of which are sure to make any Zelda fan's eyes tear up with happiness.

We've already written about a lot of the factoids that surfaced in EGM's Zelda exclusive, but some brand new snippets have arrived at our desks and we just can't resist dwelling on them. The swell chaps at EGM were kind enough to give us a high-resolution image of the magazine's Zelda cover and as readers will see, the official art work is just mysterious enough to spark message board conversations and heated debates for months to come. Or, at least until the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2005 in May, where Nintendo is expected toe reveal all on the game.

We've included EGM's Zelda cover image below. Readers can click on the image for the full picture, which we've enlarged for the visually challenged.

As viewers will notice, Nintendo cannot resist teasing and taunting EGM's readers with an official piece of new artwork that once more spotlights the howling wolf, an animal that some believe Link will be able to transform into during the course of the new adventure. More importantly, though, is the first artwork of a previously unseen character in the game: a black-robed figure with his/her back turned to Link. The figure's robe is laced with insignias. Could it be Zelda in disguise? If so, she's gotten taller. Or is it an all-new character? Readers can join IGN's overzealous army of message board posters as they meticulously comb the image over and examine it for clues.

In what can only be viewed as a personal victory for IGNcube and the countless readers who supported the triumphant "Die, Tingle, Die! Die!" Campaign 2004, the horrifying character may be downplayed or eliminated from the next Zelda because of widespread stateside hate. In EGM's recent Eiji Aonuma interview, the long-time Zelda guru talks on the subject. Asked about whether or not the new Zelda would sport Wind Waker-esque connectivity between GameCube and Game Boy Advance, Aonuma responds: "Maybe a second character [in this new Zelda] can get access to certain information and help the main player. As far as the character the other player controls - Tingle -- I found out some American people didn't like him very much. So, we need to think about what kind of character we're going to use. [Laughs]"

Of course, readers can't see this, but rest assured that IGNcube's editors are patting themselves on the back for this enormous win. It is truly a great day for Nintendo fans everywhere and, dare we say it, also for mankind as a whole.

Readers should not waste another second before buying the new issue of EGM in order get the full scoop on the new Zelda.